


First Meetings and New Truths

by MyDaydreamWorld



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Family Drama, Family Reunions, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:07:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29888460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyDaydreamWorld/pseuds/MyDaydreamWorld
Summary: Henry is angry at Emma for lying about the truth about his dad. Neal try's to explain Emma reasons for lying about him being an firefighter.





	First Meetings and New Truths

**Author's Note:**

> Just an random story taking place in Season 2.

Neal walked out on the fire escape outside his apartment to sit with Henry. He couldn't believe he had a son. He couldn’t believe he had a child out in the world that he never knew about. He had a son who had grown up not knowing him. He wanted to be there for his own son - be a better father than his own. 

He was angry at Emma for not bring this fact up. No matter how angry Emma was with him – he had a right to know the truth. Henry – their son had a right know the truth. No matter how painful it was. 

Today was more eventful that Neal wanted. He was glade to find out about his son - also concern about the reunion with his father. He would worry about his father later - right now he wanted to force on Emma but more so on Henry.

Neal and Emma had a somewhat awkward and angry chat about it – he found out that Henry was born in prison and adopted by the Evil queen and Emma only meet Henry for the first time a year ago. A year ago, Emma didn’t know who her parents were, or anything about the Enchanted forest. What hurt Neal more than anything was that he could see Emma wanted to protect Henry from him. 

Neal could tell Henry was angry at Emma and he was feeling guilty about that. He knew why Emma had lied. Emma had no idea who he was, or where he come from. Emma didn’t think she would ever see him again. Neal had lied about his own father ever since coming to the world without magic. 

"Don't be too mad at your mom," said Neal resting his hands on his lap before moving them near his chin and back to his lap. He wasn't sure where to put his hands so in the end he interlock his fingers. 

"She lied to me," said Henry at once. “She never lied to me before.” 

Neal paused for a moment "She told you I was a firefighter, right? Made out I was some hero…” Henry nodded his head. “Truth is that…I'm not a hero…and when I last saw your mom…I did something that cause her a lot of pain….and I hurt her badly…." Neal paused for a moment – thinking back at a time when he was happy, in love, but had to let it all go. To let Emma, go. "And, I guess she doesn't want you to know what I did…”

"I don't understand," said Henry not fully following what Neal was saying. Why would he? He didn't know the truth."

"You know your mom was in prison, right?" asked Neal not knowing how much Henry did know. After all a year is not a long time. 

Henry nodded his head – that was a shock when he first found how but he also knew his mom gave him away to give him his best chance "Yeah I know that,” he said 

"Well…I set her up so she ended up there," said Neal awkwardly. “She was in prisoner because of me.” He didn't want Henry to see him in a bad light - but Henry seem like a smart kid and it was pointless trying to coving him in cotton wool. Kids were tougher than people think. And Neal didn't want to lie - not anymore. 

Henry turned too looked at Neal for a moment with a shock look on his face "But that because she did something wrong?"

"No – she was only trying to help me out because I did something wrong. I stole some watches…" said Neal he paused for a moment "She was trying to sell the watches which is also wrong – but I was the one who stole them in the first place…and she only did that because…. because we wanted to start a life together… not living on the road in that damn yellow car anymore…."

"But if you wanted to start a life together why did you set her up?" question Henry - why did he have to ask a hard question. 

"Man, it's wasn't that simple Henry," said Neal running his hands thought his hair. He wish things were simpler. "We come up with this crazy plan to go somewhere and make some sort of life for ourselves…it was a good plan…then I meet Pinocchio who told me who Emma really was – and I knew I had to let her go…. I didn't want to…but…. I have too – there was a curse than needed to be undone and I didn't want to be involve in that land again…I didn't want to have anything to do with it…. I didn't want any connection with my father again." 

Henry was quite for a moment – he didn't want to believe his father was the reason his mother was in jail. "Mom still lie to me…."

"I know, and I know that lying was wrong…. but…she doesn't trust easily and I betrayed that trust… made it worst…." Said Neal and Henry could hear the guilt in his voice.

"That shouldn't matter, she could have still told me…."

"But it does matter," said Neal trying to find a way to explain. It was hard to explain to someone what it was like be have no one and no where to go. "Emma…your mom… never had a real home before, had a family. When I first meet her…I was homeless and she was homeless. We meet and… it not nice being on the street on your own…and we used to shoplift and all kinds of things…This isn't what you want your kids to know about…. I don't want you to know about it. Henry, what you have to understand…. growing up like how your mom and I did…lying is something we learn to do to protected ourselves…. If you are going to be mad at anyone it's me…."

"She didn't tell you about me?" asked Henry still sounding hurt. 

That thought had cross Neal mind when he first found out about Henry "She didn't have a change to tell me," said Neal at once. "She only found out she was pregnant after she was arrested…and by then I was long gone and she didn't know where I was."

"Mom can find people who doesn't want to be found – that was her job before Storybrook – she could have found you…”

It seem to Neal that Henry saw Emma as a hero. Henry looked up to Emma. "Why would she want too. I am the reason she went to jail in the first place…. she though I used her…" said Neal. “I hurt her so badly…It’s hard to understand adult relationships Henry. When adults find them hard.” 

"But she still lied…." Said Henry bring it up again. Henry was still hurt about the lie. 

"Everyone lies," said Neal still wanting to defend Emma "But you have to think why people lie, she lied to shield you from the truth. I was a thief, Henry, I did a lot of things wrong…more than what your mom ever did…"

"Why are you defencing her?" 

That was easy to answer, "Because I understand why she lied," said Neal "I understand her better than she understands herself. And deep down I think you understand too….."

"It's unfair…."

"A lot of things are unfair, I know it's sucks," said Neal at once "But from now on things are different. I know now I have a son and I want to be part of his life, and Emma knows the truth about what happen between us….and she is still angry at me about that…. but at least she knows the truth, and you also know the truth… and now we can work out a way to move forward…."

"Mom shouldn't be angry at you…." It seem Henry had got his mothers stubbornness Neal wasn't sure if that was a good to bad thing. 

"And you shouldn't stay angry at your mom for too long, we all should be angry at the universal or something like that." Said Neal "So how about you give your mom a hug…she doesn't like to admit it but she probably needs more hugs than other person…."

Henry looked in thought the window to see Emma sitting on one of the chairs deep in thought. "But I am still cross….."

"She knows that, trust me she knows that, but you love her and you will forgive her because you understand,” said Neal "This is hard on everyone. You find out the truth about me, Emma finds out the truth about me...I find out about you. And my pa...well he find out the truth as well - but it's not the truth he wanted...." Neal paused for an moment. Someone once told him family reunions were messy - now he knew why. "So, will you give your mom a hug?" he asked. In truth Neal wanted to be the one who gave Emma a hug - but he wasn't the right person. 

Henry looked back in the window to his mother. "Okay," said Henry standing up "I want to get to know you…" he said

This made Neal happy. His son still wanted to know him even after learning some of the not so good stuff about him. "And I want to get to know you too…” said Neal 

"Can you tell me how you meet my mom?" asked Henry

That would be a long story - and Henry would ask lots of questions. "Ask your mother," said Neal "But bear in mind it doesn't put either of us in a good light…" Stealing an stole a car wasn't the normal way people meet. 

Henry walked up to Emma and hugged her, he was still cross about his mum lying to him but he had partly forgave her already. He wanted to know more about how his parents meet and what they got up too. But Henry didn't think it was the right time to ask. 

"I'm sorry kid," said Emma hugging him back. 

Henry saw Neal walked back into the apartment and Neal gave him a quick smile. 

Now somehow, they all had to work out how this family was going to work out.


End file.
